2,995 comments:

1128 I dont think it is. The US is a very crowded sports mkt. Soccer is not a priority. I dont care how much marketing you do, that is not changing relative to other sports any time soon. However, Soccer occupies a very popular money making niche for girls. As such the marketing is cleverly targeted by the ECNL at middle class families who are looking at the sport as more of a College vehicle than something to take their family to watch. Its is a unique circumstance, but profitable nonetheless.

The ECNL will defend that profitability to the hilt. Look at the recent E|CNl TX event. day 3 rained out, but a flood of social media content poured out by the ECNL. the Content has ZERO to do with the game. Its silly photos , memes etc, BUT it is very powerful with that girl demographic. The ECNL is selling a lifestyle for young women, the USSF is just selling soccer.

Soccer on its own has not succeed in the US yet. Its why up till thisyear the min salary was 7k in the NWSL. Its not a career UNLESS you happen to make the USWNT and as such making that team is NOT purely about ability. It insanely political becasue the financial benefits from making it vs not is to many the difference between playing and not playing.

Put that in the context of a GDA and you realise that the USSF are fighting an uphill battle once kids realize that making a YNT is a huge long shot AND btw, not making one pre 18 does NOT mean that you cannot make the FULL team down the line.

A vote today for the GDA is a leap of faith that those in charge have all the tools TO MAKE YOU A BETTER SOCCER PLAYER and the desire and sacrifice to do that is worth potentially missing out on other great experiences. I cant tell you how many girls will make that trade, but from my viewpoint, it is by no means clear that the USSF have ANYONE in authority now who has shown us since 2011 (When Heinrichs became Technical Director) that they know what they are doing when it comes to guiding our Youth

Its marketing on different levels. The ECNL has tapped into a niche within soccer. They are basically “Standing on the shoulders” of the players. Yes they offer a venue to showcase talent, at a price, they promote the hell out of everything, equipment tents at every event, Social Media plans, and it is run like a start-up fueled by caffeinated interns. The comment by 12:00pm about the Texas event losing a day to weather, I believe that last year or the year before an entire event was washed away by weather not sure if there was a refund, most likely a credit for the teams that were registered. The ECNL currently prints money for the program, and they do good things for the clubs they support. And for the most part the clubs follow the structure and offer a good product. I have even seen problem coaches moved out at the club we are at when they are not a good fit. I honestly think that the bureaucratic USSF took their jealousy and created something instead of partnering with ECNL. I would think if you took the teams that are in the champions division at the end of the ECNL season in June and put an all-star team together you would have a strong YNT funnel from u15 – U18. No need for a GDA except to give USSF another thing to do and another thing for some parents to brag about.

1223 I agree on some and totally disagree on a lot. Champions division has NOTHING to do with it. the best teams do not necessarily have the players with the most upside or even talent.

Good product? perhaps if you are not an elite player looking for the most challenging environment. It markets to the mean. Thats how you make the most $$ and have the biggest audience. Nothing wrong with it, but form a pure Soccer pov, good =/= excellent. The product is also very varied from Club to Club , even team to team within a Club.

There is a need for a GDA , just like there si for AP Classes, the difference is, we dont tend to put kids in AP Classes to make up the numbers for the real AP students. In fact the opposite. You have to keep up.

the GDA product should NEVER have been the same as the ECNL product, BUT as soon as you go national then size of the country means a lot of teams. and as soon as you do that you challenge the ECNL.

they could have co-existed IF the USSF were prepared to accept the non soccer part of the ECNL - all the hoopla and quite frankly over spending on unnecessary stuff WHEN SOCCER IS THE ONLY PRIORITY. But i guess they wern't

Not apples to apples but what has the Boys DA done for the men's side? ANd wouldn't the GDA be pulling talent from the ECNL to start their journey to US soccer dominance (oh wait the US women's program has been top 3 usually #1 since the beginning of the Women's WC).

The GDA will continue down the path and parents players and coaches will flock to it if it is percived to be a better product or offer something that ECNL does not. But that would entail that YNT would no longer draw from the ECNL pool to remain pure to GDA. And whether that happens or not would be a shame.

at no point have the USSF said they will ONLY draw from the GDA. If you are happy with what we have, then no need for any change right? The fact that the dominance is underpinned by T9 and attrition(( other countries do not have infrastructure in place that allows women to keep playing soccer to the exclusion of other things) measn that the US will always be in the top 5 at worst. Why are the Youth teams doing so poorly?

Why are the Clubs and coaches NOT flocking now? Since announcement, the numbers have dropped and continue to. Why ?

I hear the apples to apples, but what is success to you wrt a boys DA? You cannot be suggesting that a US based boys DA should underpin the US at say a perennial top 10 country in the world? Mens socer is already a global game and talkent goes where the $$ are. it goes there form a young age. By definition almost ANY 16 yr old boy in the US playing DA has at worst ALREADY failed. At best, he is well behind the top kids in the world and has a lot of catching up to do.

I will see if I can find my paperwork. My older daughter played years ago when it was the GDA and everyone was trying to talk us out of it because it was never going to succeed. Chuckle. Anyway, my recollection is ECNL was founded as an indentification program for US Soccer. The original founder worked with US Soccer and was hopeful that at some point it would be funded by it as well and costs would be very low.

To support the poster re relationship between ECNL and USSF, I found the below excerpts from an older TDS article 2015 -

"The ECNL is independent of U.S. Soccer as a league, but Noftsinger says the relationship the two organizations have forged over the years has led to a smooth transition between the two for players down the line. Indeed, as recently as nine months ago Ellis herself was at an ECNL event scouting players."....“In the six years the ECNL has been around, that relationship with the federation has become stronger and stronger, and it’s very collaborative,” Noftsinger said. “Because at the end of the day, we’re not the federation, but we are here to support them and help them be the best in the world.”

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out now that there has been a divorce of sorts.

249 is this the same Heinrichs who has been conspicuously absent from any GDA messaging since her disastrous initial attempts? The same one who has presided since 2011 over Technical development that has seen us slip in the quality and content of our Youth teams ? I would love to know hat track record she has of player development. I dont see it. I dont see her hiring good people OR developing players herself. Where is the evidence that she can develop players? or is she saying that a USSF stamp with EXACTLY THE SAME COACHES is the magic elixir ? Buzz words like player dev model are easy, but until SHE starts giving us details of what that is ......

this relates to the 2:54 post. Noftsinger referenced therein is the visionary that founded ECNL and left 11/2015 to join MLS. She should be lauded in history of us soccer. I would be curious to find out her thoughts. Soccerwire are you on this?

Directly asked - "does this mean that you will be assembling what you feel is the proper team moving forward - even if it trades off stronger results?" Answer - yes

In other words - selecting the players with upwards potential is key - and we see the mix of ages - whereby a team of ALL age group (and stronger physically_ players - but with lower ceilings - who might GET the result - may be passed over.

Hickey, who has relatively no investment in this is now in charge whilst Heinrichs does what exactly ? The TD of the USSF should be standing by her side announcing the appointment. Instead.....there are 2 possibilities

No they haven't and they never will say that. But we know they will draw from the GDA early on - you are not the top of the pyramid because you say you are. They will draw from GDA the young players with promise will move to GDA clubs because the parents see top of the pyramid and ussf. When they have the product, they will expand their search in areas with no GDA.

like many of the "plans" in US soccer. they all focus on adding Clubs and territorial domination and yet we dont seem to produce players that are any better than they were 10 years ago. They can add 200 Clubs for all I care, my kids will be long gone by then.

Just a thought:GDA Spring 2017 – Clubs will build the initial teams internally with some external players looking for the upgrade. Most clubs that have an ECNL badge will promote their ECNL players to GDA or at least make them the offers. Parents will accept the best offers and the teams will be built. Training will most likely follow the current club model for ECNL with maybe a few tweaks to make it look different. Initial events may mirror the Boys DA for end of season 2018 http://www.ussoccerda.com/calendar . The mystery is what happens between tryouts and June 2018? There is also the “You just aren’t in the Loop until you sign” that a lot of clubs do. Clubs have their pre-tryout town hall where they lay out their plan for all levels of the club but once you sign you go behind the curtain and get the real story. For ECNL that is set, GDA will be a beta test year with possibly more regional events during the fall into winter hence the no High school rule.

ECNL was good, yet to be seen how this will impact it as some players don't want to be in what is now 2nd tier. So, will it be watered down, of course. And, yes, it is costly. GDA will be at least as good as ECNL, highly likely better as it is now considered top tier so good players will gravitate to it. Will it be perfect, either? Probably not. As far as cost, it's less than what ECNL currently costs based on budget information received at a GDA meeting. All other leagues, will see how it plays out. This is what will be interesting. How are these going to be affected?

Like every season, all of the success of the leagues are contingent on the players that participate. Good luck to all. And, everyone needs to find whatever league fits their needs as far as development, playing, rules and cost. We are looking down the home stretch. Not for us to sweat.

8:01Call my post tongue in cheek, sarcastic or facetious...:)I was merely saying "let's get passed all this and choose your own path"GDA will be top tier but may not be for everyone.My daughter's goal is GDA, but I will not trash others' decisions with assumptions and unknowns.Each club is communicating/not communicating properly. This is leading to many throwing things around as facts.

911 is it possible that GDA is not top tier? You throw that out there like its a fact. If not playing HS and training an extra day makes a player better and that is the goal, then there was nothing stopping a kid doping that long before the GDA. If I look around the ECNL teams in the North east and assume all those players go to the GDA a very strong case could be made that IF one or 2 kids decided to stay and play HS/ ECNL, the ECNL team would beat teh GDA team. The whole notion of top tier is reliant on the best players playing GDA. What happens when a YNT player decides to play ECNL and HS. Are the USSF going to stop selecting her? I doubt it. I am not at all convinced that the GDA will have any impact on the majority of the players who choose to join it. The soccer junkie type kid who this is aimed at is already getting plenty of soccer and that type of commitment level is currently not required to get in to a great school the cost / benefit is not at all obvious.

So a league that has not even started yet is already given Tier 1 status. While the intent may be for GDA to be the best of the Best, current indications are that it will be an option. There is always talk of girls soccer being a suburban fueled upper middle class club. Maybe the GDA will follow some of the boy's DA teams and recruit from more diverse areas. If you look at some of the prep schools near Philly you can see how they have benefited their teams through some scholarship opportunities.

1023 who said it has to be individual? there are younger players not playing HS pros, College kids - all sorts of soccer players out there training. It is remarkably easy to find if you look. At some of the Clubs it is easy to practice with a younger team if you want to. You can just take a ball to your local park or back yard and be creative for 45 mins per day on your own.

Individual work is a necessity in becoming a better player. Go ask Messi how many hours he has spent alone with a soccer ball.Its a huge hole in US Youth sports that development has to be in a team environment with coaches around ( and usually $$ involved)

Fact is most kids wont do it becasue they dont care enough and the social side of practice is as important as the learning to thm. Im fine with that. Its a very small number that want that. I also do wonder what the tipping point is for Girls Soccer. i will bet that every DA Club does not practice 4 days per week I am almost sure it will eb closer to 3 days per week.

So my prediction: I agree that those clubs with current ECNL will have very strong DA. I predict the top 2 2019 00 kids from current non DA ECNL teams will look to grab a DA spot if close enough and they will fill in with the top 15 current ECNL players to make up the bulk of the GDA teams at Stars, NEFC, WC, Fury, EM/NYSC, PF, FC VA, PDA.

I have heard that the only real waffling regarding DA participation among current ECNL players are the bottom third of the roster that are worried about the stringent sub rules and consequent diminished play time. However, the clubs are trying to address that issue by providing friendlies and several non DA events to get the bottom roster kids in.

Further, I predict that there will be some really weak DA teams at the 99/00 age group and even the following year at 00/01. They will provide additional game time for the bottom roster former ECNL teams. Oakwood, Cedar Stars, PA classics and VA Dev academy, and Empire will be weak at least until the younger players start filtering through and they are collecting the best in the area. Within 5 years they may be among the stronger of the GDA teams if they offer a quality product.

The outliers are the Spirit teams. Will the Bethesda kids go to the MD team? Will the best Richmond kids come up to VA? What about McLean- arguably one of the best 00 teams in country? I suspect there will be migration of the top players either looking to continue or start with the YNT programs and/or directed by their Power 5 college coaches.

I can't believe that Bethesda didn't partner with Spirit like PDA did with Sky Blue. Something must be up there. they passed on the boy's DA initial offering and suffered for it. they then grabbed Potomac's spot and it all subsequently worked out. Wonder what they are thinking?

I think the poster meant that the clubs that have ECNL now in 2016-2017 will have the kids who are currently playing ECNL move to the DA team regardless of whether they keep an ECNL team or the second team is labeled NPL. The teams that were allowed to keep both were the mega clubs that the ECNL knew would be able to field competitive B teams in the face of a DA A team and needed these power clubs to stay relevant at all. Some of their B teams are currently in the national league and now there B teams will be ECNL. national league even more irrelevant. The first few years a few mid level or lower ECNL players may choose ECNL over DA, but the best players won't accept playing on the lower level team.

Every once in a while there is an arrogant poster that is speaking generally but really in the first person about their situation. A statement like "The best players won’t accept" is really a difficult one to make because it is subjective. The coaches at the clubs know who stands out, and yes to some extent a confident 16-17yo can have enough confidence to say “I am the best player on my team” but to say a player won’t accept being placed on an ECNL team where a DA team is available is ludicrous, unless the parent has influence the only option is to try out for another DA team and hope they make that. There may also be some USSF influence on placing scouted players on rosters. I have actually seen this at the ODP level where players are pre-selected before tryouts and are guaranteed spots. If that’s what you intend than you are correct, players identified by USSF will not accept being on the apparent lessor team. I still think the idea of GDA is redundant to the current hierarchy of girls soccer and will only serve the purpose of creating another place for people to park their Range Rovers and BMWs.

126 I agree. A REAL accelerated program would have a lot fewer players and as such would upset the very folks you mentioned becasue Mia may not be in that group. Give the fact its NOT free, someone has to fund all the travel to make a National league work. I would not do a National league in the US. I think it creates an unnecessary barrier. I would make a regional league in the North East and spend that additional $$ on training .

Will kids who do not make PF GDA go eleswhere or accept their rating and stay on as ECNL. Going from club to club when not invited may not always have the desired result of moving up in the line-up. And sometimes staying hurts your stock as well. It will be another round of tryout roulette like last year with the age change mandate. And the clubs are already using it as a fundraiser with "ID Camps"

If the GDA is implemented as USSF want, the top team will be the U18/19 team. from what i have seen, that will cover the best players from potentially as young as 15.So Im not sure why people think that a strong ECNL team = strong DA team? In theory all the teams BEST players who are capable of playing up will be told to do so. This is going to displace several older kids whose parents MAY think they are better than they are. Not just the bottom on the ECNL team but conceivably the middle of the roster as well.

I assume CFC's ECNL teams will improve quite a bit with an influx of PF players. Players at the bottom of the ECNL roster and players who don't want or don't make DA will most likely head to Continental. There really aren't many other options in the area.

9:34 - hahahaha. Yeah, and what color was the unicorn in your dreams this time? USSF has already dictated what will be considered the top of the pyramid. While there are a bunch of leagues, there is only one federation. And it has endorsed GDA. It will not be endorsing another.

1:28 - kids and parents make various decisions for a variety of reasons. Re your ODP comment, though. You do realize that some kids like for instance those on ODP regional team get a pass on the initial pool play try-outs? So, what you may think is a guaranteed spot is a bye they earned. Also, sometimes the coaches specifically scouted a kid that they see has something. That's life. Things like this happen.

at this age no kids jumping to DA,maybe the lower level kids who play less then 20 mins a game,but not the top players they are already set up....And the best team at this age is not ECNL....look to NPL

I was scoffed at and accused of spinning something when I wrote-There would be no merger between CFC and PF, and that PF would have to pick between ECNL or GDA and that ECNL was not going to give PF a choice of having both.

Now I am telling you there will be no players in the 2001 or 2000 age groups from FC Bucks or CFC that will go to PF for GDA. Won’t happen.

I am telling you now, that it’s a total longshot that any significant player from PA Strikers will go to PF for GDA.

I do think that PF will be in good shape with drawing younger players to GDA, and after a couple of years and will be in good shape with the GDA. PF won’t be alone, most smaller GDA programs will have a tough time gaining and keeping players 2001 and older at this point.

I am not the poster you are addressing, specifically, but I agree with that mindset. Kids move up rosters all the time in particular clubs. It helps in their development and challenge as well. Further, it helps in the id process, too. Lastly, it opens other slots for younger players as far as development on the younger squads.

I don't disagree with the premise of ability and playing up.However the GDA idea is to have the younger on the team as "developmental" players. Example...the 02s are added to 01 team etc...If a club has the pool of players to justify players playing from 02 to 99, that's quite the jump isn't it?My question to poster was that USSF wants the 99/00 team to be the main/starting focus...I don't understand the concept

I don't really see the 02 to 99 age group jump. That probably less likely at the onset. But, absolutely see it with some 01's.

Re your other question, I think because it's a trickle down mindset. The best will be at the top; like the full senior team as compared to a jr team; or the majors vs. the minors. The pinnacle will be moving to the top team even within the various clubs.

May not want to bring in academy overseas into conversation...US doesn't operate same way, whether by choice or by ignorance. Overseas, the better the player you are, the less you pay. In the US, the more money you have to spend, the better opportunity you have....Speaking for our club, we just don't have the numbers to add 2-3 year younger players to 99/00 team, unless we have this crazy onslot of outside girls coming to tryouts

Coaches at any level need to be able to accept true development, and sometimes that means giving players the opportunity to play themseleves into or out of the starting line-up and valuable minutes. My daughter's U15 coach was pretty good at this. He also was transparent in setting the line-ups. After the final practice of the week he would send an email to the team with the planned formation for the weekend games along with starters and subs. He had a pretty good plan for minutes as well where everyone got minutes over the 2 games, even sending a new line-up sheet for the second game with changes if necessary. I think too many clubs and coaches are afraid to give players a chance to prove themselves or to disprove the coach. Sometimes the only way to get the best next look is to move on. Maybe having the opportunity to do so two years in a row (last years age change tryout roulette, and this years GDA tryouts) will afford some of the overlooked players the opportunity to thrive in a new environments, and that does not necessarily mean a jump to GDA.

846 Then you should not have GDA status. GDA/ECNL ..its all being watered down anyways.

813 I see freshman making an impact in HS soccer all the time. On teams with older ECNL players. The standard of soccer is just not that high so as to prevent an 02 from being one of the 18 "best" players in any Club.

It is a very different question as to whether Club politics and $$ will stop Clubs from following the mandate. Issues like this are exactly why some of the ECNL clubs do not want GDA. It forces them to consider issues that they really dont want to.

9:53 - I just don't see it yet with many 02's; not right away. They need one more year of playing at high speed and maturing. Some may get hurt. It's not going to be high school. The speed and physicality of the game as you get older may cause injuries.

1017 you have to remember one thing that maybe you are not factoring in. Being part of the GDA ia more about the practices than the games. A talented player irrespective of age may well benefit more form being around the Clubs best players than less talented kids her own age.

1121 I dont think your dev theory will work. I think players have to be attached to a roster, so the way dev works a developmental player is non GDA player attached to GDA for a certain number of game rosters.I dont think it can be indefinite. In fact after a certain number I think the player has to become full

I dont think a rostereed GDA U15 kid can also be on the GDA U18/19 roster. Ca onyly work if the kid is say ECNL

"As a combined age group, players are encouraged to play up and clubs will have groups of players that they will move up and move freely among age groups within their Academy program. The projected pool would equate to approximately 23 players per age group for a total of 69 full-time players amongst the three age groups (U-14/15, U-16/17, and U-18/19)."

Completely crazy 249. Ellis has to keep her yes men close no matter their failures. They either don't know or don't care that the soccer community is outraged by the performance- not the results- of our YNT this year. Fail-fail-promotion! Brilliant. My only hope is the new coaches have some real vision for these ages and that if Ellis is ever fired the cabal will be gone with her. The problem is that they can create the illusion of their own success. By elevating younger YNT players to older age groups and yes even the full team, they can point to the mission of the ynt and say see, we succeeded in indentifying and developing players for the highest level: job well done...

I am not convinced beat players from ECNL will make the change to DA ,as there is no real benefit for these girls . If your club ,like ours has a deep coaching bench,there will be little if any drop off in training.In our club there are many on the ecnl team that do not really want to go to DA. They would like the opportunity to finish senior year in hs soccer . This is important to many of our girls . Fyg ,our club has a very good ecnl ream , the best in their age group. So I think much of the conversation on this blog is misguided. I am not sure to this age group DA has much importance to the girls .

Informal survey and please don't bash the posters for their comments:1. Is your current junior daughter trying out for DA?2. If not, what team will she play with after school ball season is over?Rumor is some clubs will allow hs play but some will not....

Without divulging too much, how has the college coach (verbal commit at this point I would think)suggested this? I am assuming D1, and does the college coach have any pull with the Club to get your daughter on DA.

My daughter (Junior) will stay with her current team (College coach likes loyalty and is familiar with the current coach and program).

College coach actually didn't make it black and white...wish he had. He recommends highest level but also understands the senior year dilemna. No arrogance intended but she would no doubt be on the DA team if she wants to. No need for "pull" from college. She's on the "first" team now, but more and more of her teammates are indicating school ball as their choice...

1013 So much about your post that is unsettling. Maybe unintended or Im reading too much into it. Apologies if I am

1. D1. Not sure why thats the assumption 2. College coach and pull ? Surely its about just selecting the best players irrespective of age on U18/19 team3. How is going DA or Staying got anything to do with loyalty?

2/24 - 10:49 - just circling back to you re your comment re more training than games re GDA. I have seen more injuries in practices than games with kids competing for playing time. Older kids don't tone it down.

11:15 I thought so too...but I'm finding that this differs much from club to club, very subjectiveMy daughter is on top team now and half the girls not going GDA...when they could easily mind youSpeaking for current juniors, don't under-estimate the senior year HS ball factor.

@11:26 - I am not underestimating the hs ball thing, but the girls in our club which is a top team/club are not doing it. And, some of these girls are all- americans currently. They are making a choice and it's not hs soccer. But they have other aspirations and I don't mean just NT. At some point the GDA tag will be needed to be a coach, play internationally, etc. They are giving themselves options. But, you have to do whatever works for you.

Refering to 2018's (not including those that are graduating early to play spring ball obviously), 2019's and 2020's. Not trashing anyone's choice, but just noting that some of the intel on the board not fully accurate.

Looks like WC found a viable partner for GDA with announcement of partnership with NYCFC. Leaves the 2 LI clubs to struggle for themselves. Fury will be a joke as the only have the PR name as leverage. EMSC will need to drop GDA or ECNL to survive.

Smart people will see them as the logical player to consolidate the very best female youth players for as big an area as practically possibly under one umbrella. They have the money, the facilities and the access to coaches that no other club in the area bar maybe NYRB has .

IF they do it right they should be the top dog in the next 5 years. I hope they do. The kids deserve excellence.

For anyone thinking that US Soccer was not going to support, specifically promote and endorse the GDA, just saw post on friend's social media where her daughter's club and it's future GDA players were given exclusive access to the US WNT training session for the She Believe's tourney.

Saw the same thing from a friends post as well. But I believe it was open to the entire club on the girls side. By saying "Future GDA" you are limiting the scope of inclusion. There are other relationships that exist between the club and staff so it also may have just been a fortunate opportunity with no relation to GDA.

Sounds like sour grapes. I think at any level it is great to have someone to look up to who has gone down the path you hope to go down. Let these girls enjoy a bit of star gazing, as well as seeing training at a high level.

7:50 - They are promoting the GDA. Kids received USA/DA rally towels. USSF is definitely promoting the GDA. There is a booth at the She Believe's tourneys promoting the GDA. This isn't to say only the GDA kids were invited from that club, but it was only a GDA club invited.

10:04 - I don't think they missed school. It was after school hours it seems (as it's dark). I think it's great to see the type of training USSF requires from its players as this will be their life in a few months.

Good luck today Team USA. These games should be great. Eng vs. France and USA vs. Germany.

"U.S. Soccer Girls' Development AcademyFind out where current WNT players got their start to become the best in the world! Stop by the U.S. Soccer Girls’ Development Academy setup, to learn more about the program designed to accelerate the development of world-class female players and see yourself as a Women's National Team Player with our photo opportunity."

10:04 Rather have my daughter "fawning" over USWNT than knucklehead boys at HS. Is sitting down as adults to watch pro sports on TV or at a stadium any better? Sadder to see a parent skip their kids Sunday soccer match so they can watch the NFL teams on TV. Now that's fawning.

is the R o W producing players thru parent funded quasi Academies that are elite in name only? Are they advertising for players at International Soccer games? NO . You realize that tickets to these games are often pricey so the very audience you hit are the same middle class wannabees.

they are in the trenches looking for talent, evaluating it and PAYING for it to develop. Allowing non stakeholders to select the talent is mistake number one, Entrusting people who have done nothing but fail to then evaluate it is another.

At every level we whittle down the pool on the basis of things that have NOTHING to do with talent or potential.

btw, the wrong approach refers to how you select talent in the first place. As long as you surround talent with mediocrity it looks better right? Go ask our U20 and U17 W Cup teams. At least those kids are still rolling along in the system like nothing happened

when are people going to wake up to the fact that this is not Elite in any real sense of the word?

This GDA thing is turning into the same "butt hurt" in politics right now.Accept there are winners and losers, those that want to play GDA and those that don't want to...etc etcTrue test/results will show in a couple years, but if a player wants to be part of it at its inception, then so be it! Good luck to all!!

848 ..what do you mean winners and losers? I dont get that at all. three are 2 different paths now. In terms of the product, there are only losers. We are just further diluting and already diluted product.

These were kids who were watching athletes the top in their sport. What is wrong with admiration? These women are role models to a several generations of soccer fans. The crowds watching both the English/France and GE/US national teams and their coaches during their warm up sessions were just as fascinated.

I have gone to NWSL games and watched the training sessions (along with other men, women, boys and girls). The skill level is awesome.

I was also at the Linc when a sold out crowd (men and women and kids) watched the great Messi and others during their training, too. And, he is fantastic to watch. And, watched NHL & MLB players (and other sports) training and guys (and gals) sitting right there watching, too. The skill when you watch someone at the top level is just amazing.

You have to admire someone who takes his/her craft to the top level. It's the pinnacle of sports; all sports.

Btw - This...Blogging/Keyboarding is not a sport. You don't even need to be athletic or fit in any fashion.

Agree with you. This is no different than those that pay and wait in line to get his/her favorite sports' figure sign a trading card, football, baseball, hockey puck, soccer ball, shirt, ticket stub, whatever.

I have seen plenty of grown men waiting in those lines and giggling like school girls taking a selfie. Now, THAT is weird.

With all of the GDA vs "The Others" talk I thought I would see more chatter today after the 1 and 1 weekend for the USWNT. Ugly soccer?? Un-prepared, over matched, Coach is trying to see what she has?? Nice they could pull out the win in Chester.

I don't think ugly soccer, but that's me. I think each US game was played differently with the different personnel on field. I think experimenting going on with other teams as well. France is definitely getting lucky. Tomorrow's US/France game should be very interesting. And I think Germany vs. England will be good as well.

After seeing such lopsided games in Concacaf, these are very much more competitve and nice to watch. Also some great MLS games on too.

The Germany game was better, not just because we won.Ellis is experimenting so I hope she sees what she has quickly. As much as I love Alex, Press did better when she came in the game vs England...and Pugh, well, great potential there!!!. And this game meant more to England.

there are 2 important events for US women's soccer - OG and WC. Thats it. these are friendlies. the Europeans have the Euros coming up and are in season so to think that winning this takes priority is asinine.

Ellis should be rotating and should get all the players on the field or she is wasting the chance to really evaluate players.

the comments I read here are symptomatic of the problem. There are times when evaluation has to be the first priority not winning. Almost every comment revolves around the result . For all you potential GDA parents, get used to evaluation.

Is the SBC a points tournament or a finals game? I can see both points of view. Winning matters but evaluating in a first tournament in the WC cycle is important as well. I think of the SBC as a pre-season lets go with the starters first game to win and then lets look at my substitutes the second game and see if we can win. also try some players that I know are going to be on my bench in different roles. It is also important to see players who may not have come into camp fit to get quality minutes to see how they do against a full 90 minutes. Now some of the play itself was hard to watch, at times not very technical, and now that Loyd is getting to probably her last WC and Abby out of the picture there does not appear to be a striker who can finish, or players that can work the ball to an attacking position. Hopefully Jill will have some things worked out for tomorrow.

12:53I enjoyed seeing LaVelle. Thought she was a bit shaky early in but added some nice speed and creativity as match progresses. I do see her slight size being an issue against some very physical players. All in all a good effort for her first cap. Kreiger is scary with several poor decisions. Also nice to see Mewis and Horan play a bit more. Time to think ahead with the need for new blood being mixed in for matches with nothing on the line. Morgan was not creative and Lloyd gives to many bad fouls, a few where not even called.

Games were good to watch. Definitely see a lot more in person than on the camera.

While Long was good; I didn't think she was player of the match good. While she connected most of her passes, they were mostly to her fellow back line players and the gk. I saw the ones she missed were the ones directly in front of the GK; the most critical ones. It looked like she got nutmegged by Germany directly in front of Naeher who had to make a diving save.

Tobin Heath was player of the match vs. Germany. She was outstanding. Watched 2 maybe 3 girls try to pull her down and she still connected her pass that was a sideline ball she intercepted.

The US/Germany game was a tighter played game. Both sides kept pinching up and didn't give the other a lot of playing space or that was the game plan it seemed. The US/England game had much more playing space. I wonder if that had to do with personnel or weather or opponent.

I think they are good games. No one is running away with any of the games. And all the teams are playing different players. No one is exposing his/her playing hands. It's a showcase tourney, basically, and entertaining to boot.

Girls playing sports is still widely unaccepted in many parts of England, especially the sport of football. The fact that England has closed the gap so quickly on the USA says something about American women’s football. Any game vs. the USA is a big for all. Girls in America don’t watch the sport. I am not saying that they don’t catch part of an EPL game from time to time, maybe they do, but women in Germany and England are football supporters. They follow the men’s game and are influenced by the men’s game. To me it seems the social aspect of football for girls in the USA is most important with a college scholarship bonus for those that rise to the top. The USA will always be good at most sports because of the population and money invested in youth sports. I don’t believe the #1 ranking is going to be as consistent going forward.

I think you are right. The gap has closed which is good for the sport. Remember, in the early 2000's; the US team lost it's #1 spot.

Would love to see the NWSL become part of a world league, too. It should have a few international teams in it and play against some. How cool would that be? Our NWSL gals with their different styles and coaches playing against Chelsea, Arsenal Ladies, Liverpool Ladies, Perth Glory, PSG, Bayren Munich, FC Flora, Lyon, etc.

516 . England are building for Euros. Huge win? Not the adjective I would use. Every player wants to win a game they are in, but the coaches are the ones who determine who plays and how long. No one is gong to say i got bounced for the Euros but won the SBC. Of course US players are disappointed, they are competitors, but ELLIS should be looking at players this early in a cycle not trying to decide her WC-19 XI now.

4:05This article leaves out details that could be important.How many teams per club?How many on rosters?How many dues come in vs what's spent?Many times, every player in the club is contributing towards this, even if not DA.The article needs to have a "per capita" comparison, as well as a differential by geographical region.

820 when kids win a scrimmage they are happy. Competitors compete. But to me, huge wims are reserved for big games with something on the line. Its ok to disagree without trying to belittle the other PoV. After all, it comes down to your definition of huge. Any team beating the US on home soil is going to cherish it.

It's a showcase tourney on US soil for the US fans. And, they are good games as compared to the loopsided games we normally see (except when we played Japan recently). They were good as well.

Anyway, each team is using different players even in the GK positions. If this was play to win at all costs, as someone pointed out, there would only be 3 subs and each team would have the same players, generally, coming out.

Does each team want to win? Of course. They are competitors from the coaches to the players. Does it have any real meaning as far as rankings in soccer world? No.

6:34 - I posted the article and agree there are holes in it. But, I thought it was amazing to see the $$$ being infused into US soccer anymore. I recall when Umbro was the brand of choice in this sport and cleats and a ball were maybe $45.00. And no, quill pens were not the writing instrument of choice. :) If we knew then what we know now....

If you're implying Hope would've changed the score line...maybe.Our ladies should've gone to 4 back and find a way to deal with the speed of the offenders constantly getting around them. You have to adapt to the other team's play!!Could they possibly give the ball away anymore than they did? Was horrible to watch!

Playing 3 back is okay with the correct players. The chemistry was not with that particular line up for that particular team.

Short had a good game against Germany, but kept ball watching vs. France. Her girl was left unattended several times including the final goal. And, Long, ugh. So Long. Get her off the back line. JJ much better back there. And, Krieger takes the better angles.

Not knocking Naeher at all. She is very good, but Solo just directs like no other.

And, as another poster noted, France's defense came up huge again; that free kick saved on the line by defender.

@815 Really ? Where do we start. The US has long had a numbers advantage. they have never had a technical or tactical advantage. As Countries with soccer cultures start to actually care about WoSo the US are going to struggle. The old days, where you can roll out whomever you want for marketing purposes ( Wambach, Lloyd, et al) in whatever formation you want and win games are gone.

The US need to pick the right players in the right system with the right coach. To hear Lloyd talk post game about building to WC19 as a 34 yr old was just cringeworthy. To hear her talk about new players and experimentation whne she started all 3 games was beyond a joke.

Our player development model is so good that we have Lloyd in the #10. a player who not long ago was a b2b CM. A player who has weak technique, cant pass and whose sole purpose seems to be to shoot as often as possible. We then have about 8 players in positions they dont play on a regular basis. Why? I guess becasue we think that is a better option than the College and NWSL players who actually play those positions on a regular basis. We have attackers at wing back, CAMs at CB, #10s at #6/8 and we have a 16yr old as our player closest to the #6. A role even she does not play at Club or YNT level.

SBC was a chance to find out a few things,. We did . Now lets see if we act on them.

I thought we played OK, were unlucky in spots and are still looking for combinations -

One Q for the group -

do Lloyd and Heath always look like they dont have much synch?

Re: GK

It may be a while before we see another Solo

Even the venerable Ms Murphy couldnt come up with perfect play in the recent U23s event.......But B level GK along with B level central defender play (Long is not the answer) - is problematic moving forward.

Also thought LaVell was over-revered for her play vs ENG - had moments but really nothing special last night -

THe kick and run (as you called it) doesn't work if Long/Short actually know how to play angles. O'hara is very good back there, too.

8:46 - Felt for Lloyd. She had a cooling off period before speaking with the media. Said the right stuff. You know she wanted to scream. She misses her buds; her successful buds. May see Syd L back too.

Field was bad. I was pretty surprised. It was bad for France too. It also rained for France as well. I have seen and kids have played on equally bad fields, unfortunately. Luckily, no injuries credited to the field occurred (the Lloyd high kick not a field injury). Now, if it was the bitter cold of saturday on that field, that would have been dicey.

Isn't this venue being phased out anyway? Didn't Audi field break ground for DC United? Future games will probably be there. I was surprised they didn't choose Spirit venue, but the crowds for the NT games probably warrant a bigger venue.

Well, it's not only apparent on our youth teams, but our senior teams as well. Internationally soccer is improving;and the soccer gap is closing/has closed.

And, many of the improvements are younger players being infused into the various programs. And, internationally, the academies are the go-to places for improving the product for their various national teams. So, internationally the soccer gap is closing.

I guess all of this makes a better argument for the GDA and the academies doing the heavy lifting in the US too. Thoughts?

@115 there is a massive misconception in the USA that the RoW was "behind" . they were never behind technically or tactically. They were behind in sheer numbers. Thats about it. As the numbers grow in countries that actually have a soccer culture and history, you will see the one advantage the US had - numbers- erode to zero.

The GDA will not create a soccer culture. Will turn out the same players we do now . Soccer IQ is not something you hand out at GDA class.

Do you think US had a numbers advantage over countries where soccer has historically been their #1 sport? I disagree. US had better athletes not better soccer players. Now, the international academies are making better athletes, too.

As far as the soccer iq, I agree, not something a GDA hands' out. But that is internationally as well. Soccer iq's are much rarer than skill. A player with iq, athleticism AND skill is a gem. But with the focus on actual development, maybe iq will be developed more as well.

129 IQ is not grown by playing alongside kids who share your background and culture. I dont see it growing in teh GDA setting. Watching high level games and being immersed in the sport from a young age and having the ability to practice freely builds the ideas and the confidence. Everything here is just too structured.

1:55 - Hmmmmm...kids who were exposed to high level games; being immersed it it at an early age; etc. I'm not a proponent of the robots either, but you are describing exactly the mechanics of an academy system if taught correctly. And, unlike the mechanics of most clubs, an academy may be the exact environment to encourage creativity not prevent it.

It's about absorbing the information, being able to discern what works and what doesn't and being taught by the right people. Sounds like an academy to me.

225 No im not. Im describing a culture that goes beyond 2 hrs 3 days a week. This is not taught by coaches, its self taught by watching , copying and experimenting. Its also something that is formed long before u-14. Academies will refine fundamentals and provide some structure, but they are starting far too late ti have a n impact of what i am talking about. It if were as easy as having an Academy, then the USA would be producing world class players by now out of the Boys side but the bucket load.

A coach is going usually to impart how he/she sees the game. GDA is using the same coaches in the same environments, Do you think its suddenly going to change?

Academies are , imo, places where Pro teams develop/mold kids with potential in the methods and ways that they want at Senior level. Teams like ajax and Southampton have a reputation for producing great players becasue they do a good job of teaching young kids the fundamentals of passing football.

the GDAa as not going to be able to do that. We dont have a consistent playing style at USWNT level and the WNT is not a Club. The GDA may be very good, but its built on exactly the same lines as the ECNL. Its unlikely to offer anything unique

Mock all you want, but explain this to me> why are countries like France, Spain and England starting to play a better brand of soccer than the US do? Why are thier leagues starting to attract players from all over the world? Because they are countries steeped in Soccer. the game is everywhere. That is as big a factor in producing top players as any academy. We do not ave that key ingredient here and Im not sure we ever will.

And to the poster downplaying academy...do some research into one club as an example and tell me it doesn't work on principle...FC BarcelonaDoes US need to learn from others and implement changes? You betcha, that's the only instance where I agree with globalism.ECNL filled the void for the girls. Yes the girls got the shaft all these years.CLubs with the right leadership will hire the right coaches for the GDA. I agree if it's just a shuffle of existing coaches, why would it change because of GDA label?

826 Barcelona ? A Pro Club within a massive soccer Culture Yes.thats my point. East Meadow on LI with none of the above..Not so much. Academies are where pro Clubs develop the best of the best. They select them. GDA is nothing like that

826 ..Article is a puff piece. It says very little like almost every USWNT article. the message is strictly controlled. The reality is losing is fine IF you are seeing signs of progress. Losing is fine if you are blooding young players. USWNT is not really doing either of those to any great extent. Any team that features Lloyd, Sauerbrunn, Krieger, Hezath, Morgan, Press et al is not exactly filled with inexperienced youth,. Brain, JJ , Long are all experienced as well. SBC Sonnet, Pinto Campbell failed to get a single minute of time.

Lloyd was telling you post event that she was taking you to WC10. Sh eis 34 already and clearly well past her prime.

I dont blame the writer, but the lack of "real" insight into the WNT is part of the issue. Short is a fine athlete as is Lynn Williams but the technical level is not there. Im OK with that as they are effective payers, but the USSF is trumpeting technique at a time when its selecting players who are just the opposite. The most technical player on the USWNT is a ghost these days - Morgan Brian is toiling as a 6/8 while a technically deficient designated shooter , Lloyd occupies the 10 role.

The USWNT will be fine, but only if the grasp whatever style they choose to play and commit to it. This fake tinkering and introducing 16yr olds for no obvious purpose is not good. I think I saw 7 players deployed in roles they are not familiar with to accomodate one player .

I will believe that change and progress are really happening when we stop the sentimentality and players like Lloyd are not longer starting every game

1035 when you use predominately the same clubs and the same coaches. What is different? And yes, but the post it referred to already outlined what Academies are supposed to be like. Seemd like it was just re-itereated

So I am thinking that Spring soccer should not start until April. scheduling games the first few weeks in March is always risky. Keep one Blackout date for Jeff Cup and schedule through the end of June. We will be playig make-ups until then any way. Better to plan for it than react to it.

I say yes...money maker and there will many teams that are NOT GDA and want the exposure. Many seniors are club players and still undecided on school choice.Can be the last run to choose or pick a school before the May 1 deadline for many schools....example: player has acceptance from 2-3 schools and needs to choose.

Nice article. And, She's a very good player and her ability to juggle school and sports is applauded. But, I do agree with your comment. She'll probably be on the Sr. NT when they play Russia. :) Isn't that how it works? Whatever happened to flying under the radar as far as a game plan?? Oh well. Old school I guess.

GFA has one team to chear for that is not an alternative fact. Let's see how they do in Vegas. How much longer before GFA merges with Copa heard the Princeton deal has gone sour since there aren't any Pronceton girls on the team. Let's see how much longer the wheels stay on the bus.